OMA Exhibition Inspects Capabilities of Scaffolding in New York

The capabilities of scaffolding as a display device were tested in an exhibition held by OMA. It will be open to the public until the 18th of January, 2018. The show is located at the New York Center for Architecture which is the perfect venue for such event because of the tremendous number of scaffoldings that New York contains.

Courtesy of OMA, photography: Brett Beyer

The exhibition inspects not only the history but also the applications and the potential of scaffoldings with respect to access and inhabitance. The display showcases the flexibility of the system towards installations. It presents the scaffolding as a device suitable for a civic role in addition to its primary function in construction.

Courtesy of OMA, photography: Brett Beyer

The design of the 3-floor exhibition was headed by Shohei Shigematsu—Director of OMA New York, graphic design studio MTWTF, curator Greg Barton, as well as the Center for Architecture. The show is intended to intercept the current space by showcasing the versatility of scaffolding.

Courtesy of OMA, photography: Brett Beyer

“I am thrilled that the center for architecture will be temporarily ‘under construction”, Shohei Shigematsu commented. “it is exciting to experiment with the flexibility of scaffolding systems as an exhibition environment.”

Courtesy of OMA, photography: Brett Beyer

Several scaffoldings occupy the atrium of the building connecting the different galleries inside. A set of periscopes can also be seen found, rising from below the ground level, passing by the mezzanine, and reaching up to the front window. The periscopes provide passers-by, in the street, with views of the exhibition which cannot normally be seen from outside.